Land Use Planning

Land use planning is a process by which land uses are allocated through legal and political decision making; it is a process by which space is made, and it reflects and distributes power over land and people. Land use planning in the United States takes place within a legal framework that reflects the nation's founding as a republic that stood against feudal traditions, instituting the free holding of land by individuals, regardless of background and/or status. There are several nested and tiered layers of law and regulatory delegation of powers over land use by government, which structure how land use can be planned. This entry focuses on land use planning in the United States, which is illustrative of land use planning processes in many other ...